Today we were squeezing in one more taste of spot prawn before the season ended. This was a journey that brought us out to North Bistro in Richmond. However, getting to and finding the restaurant would be a challenge.
Located in an outdoor plaza, there is no exterior entrance, a lesson we learned the hard way. With no signs, no mall directory, and never visiting before, we didn’t know what to look for and where to start. Luckily my guest came through the underground parkade, which happened to lead to the restaurant’s threshold. I on the other hand parked above ground and found myself walking the entirety of the plaza by foot, looking out for its English name.
It turns out their would be exterior entrance is covered and papered with photos of food, none of which also includes their restaurant name in English. This is such a shame as the restaurant has a fairly lovely interior, and it is not visible from the street for any would be traffic walking in.
The interior entry way has a traditional Chinese tiled roof awning and a window lined with black and gold wine bottles. A robust feature that does not disappoint in its food or service to follow.
Judging by the individual exhausts fans over each table, the restaurant was once a hot pot or bbq spot. Now, they focus on Northern Chinese style cuisine. I especially appreciated their wall depicting Vancouver’s most iconic buildings as a landscape, done in a blue and white porcelain style within.
As was the whole reason why we came down, we started with their spot prawns. Steamed and served with two types of sauces. A runnier vinegar forward one, and the other a thicker sweet soy. Both just the right subtle highlight to the already naturally sweet prawn.
We were given plastic gloves to wear for cleaner and easier shell peeling by hand. Doing it one by one really had you enjoying each shrimp like a triumph of effort necessary for the satisfaction.
New to their menu is the lobster dry hot pot, so we had to try that. A whole lobster chopped up and stir fried with green peppers, celery, black fungus, potato, and Chinese cauliflower. All fully coated in a garlicky and spicy Sichuan peppercorn sauce, it had a gentle, lingering burn with a fine tingle. As much as I loved the shrimp I adored this. The flavour and textures were terrific and the lobster meat was even easier to pry from shell. Tasty fresh, even better as leftovers allowed to marinade.
This we enjoyed with a bowl of rice that was also and ideal side for the braised potato beef brisket. This was reminiscent of my childhood. Thick cuts or sinewy beef in contrast to firm and starchy potato chunks, all smothered in a syrupy-chunky gravy. Delicious.
We then tried something different with the “fried pork in scoop”. When asked, the server described this like sweet and sour pork, but lighter; and he would be correct. A flattened piece of pork, breaded in a crystallized shell, coated in a more sweet than sour glaze. It was accented with garlic slivers and tasted lightly citrusy. We were pleasantly surprised and happy with our choice.
Honestly, if they were closer to my home, I would probably visit them more often when I get the craving for quality Chinese food.
The North Bistro 添玺
4540 Number 3 Rd #1200, Richmond, BC V6X 3V7
(236) 991-1199
